Turn a Drafting Table into a Study Juggernaut

Do you have an old drafting table in the basement, just waiting for potential to ooze into it? Have you ever wondered if these beasts will make a comeback in a CAD world? In this Instructable are two simple modifications you can make to turn your obsolete dust collector into a study juggernaut.

Reading and writing tend to tire the body over time, given a conventional flat desk. Even fancy hydraulic or electric desks have their ups and downs, and the improvements I'm sharing will make your drafting table a capable studying tool. After following this Instructable, your endurance for studying will increase due to your improved posture.

The instructions for mounting a second table can be applied to any desk or table in addition to any primary surface, resulting in a multiple platform environment.

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Step 1: Evaluate the Table

This table was found on Craigslist, and was chosen due to the massive potential seen in it. The seller said it may have originally been from IKEA. Regardless, it has several pros and cons:

Pro: Height adjustable,
Con: ...but this takes a little effort.
A bigger spender can use these modifications with an electric table.

Pro: Angle adjustable,
Con: ...but not for the second tier.
The main table adjusts beautifully, with sturdy manual knobs on each side. The second tier was designed to be angle adjusted, but the hardware does not support that task. This shelf will be replaced with functional hardware.

Pro: Keyboard tray,
Con: ...but the usefulness is questionable.
This option will be kept for potential future use.

Pro: Wood
Wood or Formica are preferable for work surfaces. Some tables out there use glass or metal tops, which do not perform properly.

This table will be used in conjunction with other work surfaces, and this will be one desk in an L-arrangement work station. The other desk, a reading desk, will be shown at the end of this Instructible.